Thursday, June 28, 2012

Dr.Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, immediately after taking charge of Finance portfolio from Mr.Pranab Mukherjee, is reported to have told Finance Ministry Officials after reviewing the state of the economy, , "Reverse the climate of pessimism  Revive the Animal Spirit inthe country's economyMillions of our countrymen look up to the government to throw open channels for their progress, prosperity and welfare."

Animal & Human Behaviours

Any impulse arising in an animal throws its mind into a convulsion. Then it must find an immediate expression in an action. Then, that impulse dies away. That is the nature of animal behavior.

But, in the case of a human being, when he or she has not started training the mind, very often this is the behaviour; when we were primitive, we were doing like this.Even then, certain calmness had come to the human system, because nature had provided for it. Every sensory input will be observed, giving a little gap between input and output, so as to be guided by reason and love for truth.

The human culture is the product of judicious discipline of the impulses and animals have no culture. So long as one is tied up at the sensory level, one is still at the animal level only; to all purposes a human being, but actually an animal.

Revival of Animal Spirit in Country's Economy?

The revival of "Animal Spirit in India's Economy" amounts to acting on impulses of economists and corporate bodies, mainly for achieving higher GDP Growth Rates, ignoring the ground realities of unsustainable consumption levels, mounting inflation rates, depletion of natural resources, increasing environmental pollution, increasing gap between 'Haves' and 'Have Nots' etc., with which the developed countries are reported to have been charged by the Prime Minister at Rio+20 Summit

How does the Animal Spirit in India's Economy, help millions of our countrymen, who are deprived of the basic essentials of life -food, clothing and shelter?

Sunday, June 17, 2012

The fact that the process of fissioning uranium in nuclear power reactors creates more than 200 new man-made radioactive elements, some of which remain radioactive for millions of years, is a well established scientific finding. It is also a well established fact that these diabolical elements, once created, will inevitably find their way into the environment and will eventually enter the reproductive organs of plants, animals and humans, where they will mutate the genes in reproductive cells to cause disease and death in the immediate generation or pass a hidden genetic disease to distant offspring down the time track.

Nuclear Power Reactor accidents induced by human error/ fallibility or due to natural calamities cannot be ruled out, as evidenced by melt-down of Three Mile Island Reactor in the United States, a massive power excursion erupted at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in former Soviet Union and the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster due to Tsunami in Japan as recent as March 2011. The possible threat of terrorist attacks, similar to the one on WTC Towers in New York, on Nuclear Power Reactors cannot be ruled out, by any stretch of imagination.

Myths of Nuclear Energy  Cheap, Clean & Safe!

The Nuclear Energy Institute ( NEI), the propaganda wing and trade group of American Nuclear Industry, spends millions of dollars annually, to engineer public opinion through extensive advertisements in Scientific Journals and other popular publications. The industry way back, even proclaimed that nuclear power would provide an endless supply of electricity that would be good for environment and "too cheap to meter" which is no where near the reality.

Taking into account the Economic Costs of Nuclear Power--A Very Expensive, Sophisticated and Dangerous Way to Boil Water-- which should include all benefits and costs incurred for the Society during its entire life cycle, the Solar Power may prove to be cheaper even today.

In fact, the vast hidden infrastructure necessary to create nuclear energy, called the nuclear fuel-cycle, is a prodigious user of fossil fuel and coal, which actually releases a large amount of carbon dioxide and as well as other global warming gases, although nuclear power plant itself releases no carbon dioxide.

"Electricity is but the fleeting byproduct from Nuclear Power. The actual product is forever deadly radioactive waste.".

Nexus of Sarkari Scientists, Industry & Policy Makers?

The universally accepted "Precautionary Principle" forming part of 1992 Rio Declaration, implies that there is a social responsibility to protect the public and environment from exposure to harm, when scientific investigation has found a plausible risk. These protections can be relaxed, only if further scientific findings emerge that provide sound evidence that no harm will result. But science, as it is being practiced these days, has become highly materialistic enterprise and lost its integrity and credibility.

But unfortunately, the Sarkari Scientists and the Policy Makers, who may not hesitate to compromise the interests of the public and environment, to serve the interests of private companies, are advocating Nuclear Power as Safe, Clean and Cheap, ignoring the "Precautionary Principle"

The powerful nexus of Private Companies, Policy Makers and Sarkari Scientists, advocating Nuclear Power for energy security, have built a strong fortress around them that no one will dare differ with their views and question them on the subject. The scientists are so deluded with their invincibility, that they have no patience to listen to any other view and debate on it leave alone accepting it.

About Me

Born in 1929, graduated in Electrical Engineering from College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai (Madras), India in 1952. Joined Indian Navy in 1953, awarded Visista Seva Medal (VSM) and prematurely retired in 1975, in the Rank of Captain.
After retirement engaged in Industrial activities for about 20 years.Since 1995, engaged in Social and Community activities highlighting the adverse social and environmental impacts of Development Activities being undertaken without proper appraisal evaluation and assessment. Also associated with propagation of Sustainable Development and Resource Conservation.